Neverwinter Forest imagine existence

had to do it to 'em

mathieu remembered simmik's description of the glacier and set off in its direction. he wondered if she might be there, and so stopped to pick up an offering to be prepared. soon, the sun would rise; what better place to watch than atop an untouchable height?

he began the climb slowly, then his confidence grew and suddenly, he hadn't a care in the world. mathieu bounced between ledges, excited to reach the top and greet the woman he assumed might be there.

instead, his paw slipped, and he began to tumble. mathieu's song was interrupted by a desperate cry and then a yelp, followed by the nauseating crack on bone on stone. he did eventually reach the ground, though not by his own accord.

Lenny's heat had ended a couple of days ago, and she was back to her normal self, heading out on an early morning patrol. Normally, the girl would wait until later in the day, but there was... something about this day that called her to wakefulness at an earlier hour. An unsettling static in the air.

The girl padded through the trees, enjoying the cool air as the sun began to seep into the sky. It was a nice morning, warming up just slightly with spring. The forest was stunning in the dull morning light.

It was the picture of serene, and for a moment Lenny was pleased with her decision to wake so early. But then there was a cry, and a crack, and a jarring silence that chilled her to her core.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

The sound of water dripping on the forest floor was sudden. In slow motion, the girl turned toward the glacier and began to walk toward it, a horror movie in real time. The spotted form at the bottom was familiar - a boy she'd met before, even if only briefly. A patrol companion, a kind boy. A body lying at the base of a glacier.

For a moment, Lenny hoped that he might not be dead. That the fall hadn't been so high; that he was just dazed. The girl approached the boy, folded in between two jagged stones at the bottom. 

Drip.

Drip, drip, drip.

The water pooling beneath Matty's head was crimson, thick and steaming in the champagne light. Blue eyes that Lenny had once thought were beautiful reflected the sky, sightless and half-lidded. 

Lifeless.

Lenny's face crumpled and she allowed just a few moments to stabilize herself before she tipped her head to the sky and let out a wobbly howl to call whoever was around.

She was already on her way to the glacier, blissfully unaware of what awaited her at the bottom. She had been up early for a patrol and then thought her favorite place would be a good way to spend the rest of the morning before she looked for Matty to bug him with more questions. 

The sorrowful call made her freeze. It came from up ahead in the exact direction she was headed. Within seconds, she was sprinting forward, afraid someone was hurt, or worse. What she didn't expect was see Matty's lifeless body when she finally arrived. She skidded to a stop, he heart slamming against her chest. The way his body lay on the ground was all wrong. And the blood—there was so much. Her throat burned and tears began to slide down her cheeks but she remained rooted in place. Her reality fractured and instead of Matty in his own pool of blood it was her dad. And she was the little girl again, unable to do anything but stare and cry and drown in the waves of grief that slammed against her. 

She couldn't breath. 
This wasn't happening.  

Her legs felt like jello, and she stumbled back into a sitting position. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the blood even as the sight made her stomach hurt. It blended with the colors of his coat as more tears clouded her vision. She felt her chest expanding and deflating at an alarming speed, like she was unable to breath on her own and her body had just taken over. What was she supposed to do now?

The howl was weird. There really wasn't any way to describe it, but it was weird enough that it certainly got Mal's attention. He went to investigate. He eventually crossed paths with Simmik's scent, and he followed along on her trail. He trotted along after, not thinking too much, but hey, he'd be there eventually. 

But the scene that unfolded in front of him took a moment to sink in. What. His steps slowed. Why was Matty just-- how. Why?

A sharp inhale, and he immediately did his best to box up his emotions. Maybe at a quick look it was hidden, but it writhed beneath the surface where those that knew might see. Family always left him. It wasn't fair. Just found out and now -- stop. His brain's reaction was more to just empty itself. He couldn't look any more. Instead, he went up to Simmik's side, reaching out to touch her shoulder, focusing his attention on her. He didn't know if Matty had actually taken his advice, but she definitely was effected by his loss. Mal couldn't put words to his own feelings.

A look to Lenny, then back to Simmik. Wasn't like he knew what to say anyway. Or what to do. Did someone else have an answer? He wanted to help. But he also wanted to rewind time.

The call immediately sets off alarm bells, and Aibreann is quick to drop what she's doing with her herbs in favor of investigating. Others have already gathered by the time she arrives, all familiar faces to her. Yet it is the unfamiliar face that draws her attention; the youthful visage so drawn and grey in death it takes her a moment to realize how young he'd truly been. Her heart clenches, stomach churning. She takes in a breath, sets her feelings aside, and steps forward to address the leader, not as a packmate but as a medic. Mal, She says quietly, speaking quickly but calmly. You need to get the others out of here. There is nothing to be gained but further trauma and grief from seeing him like this. Let me clean him up, get him ready for a proper burial.

The howl was enough to draw in the attention of the pack. The whisking by of her sister was enough to draw Vallkyrie. She followed the trail, noting the fresh scents of her packmates and the hurried footing all towards one exact direction. Sniffing the ground and then lifting her head to the skies for another scent, there was blood. But it wasnt prey, no, and that brought Kyr into a rush herself. 

When she arrived at the foothills of the glacier, icy attention cast between the group - her sister, the medic which she knew little of, Simmik and Mal comforting her to what lie a very obviously passed Matty. Eyes cast to the foothills, the bits of blood where the wolf had tumbled down to his demise. A sudden slip, a heavy drop, a quick death. An unexpected one. 

Vallkyrie's head hung low, tail slumped, ears pressed to her skull as she eased to her sister's side. Aibreann's words had been heard as Kyr had trotted into the scene and so now with a press to her sister's temple, she urges her along.

It wasn't really that Lenny was grieving, per say. She hadn't really known Matty, not well, and there were others here who had. But there was something about the angle of the body, the blood on the ground, the sheer height of the fall that had gotten to her. And perhaps it wasn't her place to feel right now, but she did all the same.

The girl was shaken out of her staring at the body when Aibreann spoke, silver eyes flicking up to the medic. A quick shake of her head and she offered the woman a small, grim smile. "I'll uh, I can dig a grave. For his burial," she offered quietly, voice remarkably steady. If there was anything she was good for, it was physical labor, and if that was how she could best help the pack, that was how she'd do it. 

Kyr padded in then and Lenny felt her nose press against her temple, and she turned in the direction her sister led. She'd dig a grave while Aibreann cleaned Matty up. It was the least she could do to help.

She barely felt Mal's presence at her side or the touch he offered to her shoulder. She remained frozen there until Aibreann said something about cleaning Matty up. Her horrified gaze shot to the woman and suddenly she felt nauseous. Is that what they had to do to dad, too? Clean him up? How would they even do that? She hated the idea of anyone touching Matty while he was in this state. She should do it. But she couldn't find the words to offer. 

Panicked eyes slid to Valencia when she spoke of digging a grave. Memories of her dad's grave flashed in her mind. When did all these packmates get here? She should offer to help dig; that was the right thing to do. But again, she couldn't find the words. Instead, all she found was the overwhelming need to vomit, and she did not want to do that here in front of everyone. 

She stood suddenly, panic still widening her eyes as they briefly found Mal. Then she turned and ran. She stopped after a few minutes, figuring she was far enough away. She couldn't run anymore anyway, because the contents of her stomach had made their way up her throat and now she was forced to heave them onto the ground at her feet. She stood there, breathing heavily for a few moments before sliding back to sit down. She felt like a coward.

He heard Aibreann, looking over her way -- his expression was a mess, which probably wasn't unexpected. His nod was sort of hollow, and he looked back to Simmik. He didn't get to say anything before Lenny spoke, and when he looked back over he saw Kyr was there too. When did she show up?

He had just started to turn back to Simmik, but then she ran, immediately causing him to call after, Simmik! He took a couple of galloping strides after, stopped, looked back and shifted uneasily as he looked back to Aibreann and the two sisters, I'm -- I'm gonna go after her. Make sure she's okay. He had to -- he just did, he wasn't thinking too hard about it, but he knew he'd feel awful if he didn't.

He turned and went after her -- not quite as fast as she had departed, but certainly he was hurried. The world around him was a bit of a blur other than the path he was following. Thankfully, she hadn't gone too far, and he spotted her pale figure up ahead. He paused at a distance, looking on with concern, Simmik? He didn't know what else to say.

Gonna make my quick exit on this.

 

A chill took her, prinkling up her spine. Icy eyes trailed from their fallen (literally) comrade and onto Simmik, who dashed away followed by Mal. Unknowing what to do, what to say, Vallkyrie whispered prayer to Matty and left the area for their healer to make preparations in peace.

The last thing she wanted was for Mal to see her with her own vomit on the ground at her feet, so she turned to meet him as she heard him call her name, discreetly kicking dirt over her shame as he drew closer. 

She shook her head at his question. I just need— she didn't know what she needed. Her emotions were too overwhelming for her to think clearly. I need to talk but I need to be alone first. It didn't quite make sense, but it was all she could offer him right then.

She would turn to leave unless he stopped her.

Wrapping this up for everyone

He wouldn't stop her. She knew where to find him, and he wasn't going to chase after her when he didn't know what the right thing to do or say was. Hell. He hadn't even processed everything himself yet. He dipped his head slightly, then watched as she turned and left. He stayed a minute longer then turned and trudged back to the scene.

He was back with Aibreann and Lenny and the husk of his brother. Opportunities lost. And right now he just felt empty. Was this what would always happen to his family? Matty was placed in the earth, a few words said, and they were left to disperse. Mal lingered behind for a little while longer before returning to the forest as well.

Why did things go this way?